Perspective
by Smackalicious
Summary: Somehow, it had never even occurred to her that it could be him in this situation, and the knowledge that it is scares her to death. McGiva friendship. Tag to Extreme Prejudice.


**Title: Perspective**  
**Pairing: None, really.**  
**Rating: K+**  
**Genre: Gen**  
**Cat: Drama, Episode Tag, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort**  
**Spoilers: Tag to 10x1 Extreme Prejudice**  
**Warnings: None.**  
**Summary: Somehow, it had never even occurred to her that it could be him in this situation, and the knowledge that it is scares her to death.**  
**Author's Note: Finally finished this. :) Once I got working on it, then it just came naturally. I like how it turned out, so hopefully you guys do, too.**

* * *

"You're free to go, Agent David."

Ziva nodded her thanks and stood, gazing around the wreckage. She caught sight of Gibbs' back and gave a wan smile. At least she knew he was unharmed.

An EMT's handheld buzzed to life and Ziva found herself listening, wondering who would be next. When she heard, "Timothy McGee," she spun to the noise, her mouth suddenly dry. She only heard "en route to Bethesda" and fought the urge to run. Instead, she headed for Gibbs, hoping he would have answers.

He turned just as she reached him, unable to keep the relief from his face, but his brow furrowed at the troubled expression Ziva wore. "What is it?"

"They took McGee to the hospital?" she asked rather than told, as if begging him to correct her.

But he just nodded, not missing how Ziva deflated. "He should be okay."

Ziva's head shot up at that. "Should? What happened, Gibbs? We should be there."

He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. "It's nothing serious. We have . . . work to do." The look he gave her betrayed the bluntness of his words, and Ziva found herself nodding despite herself and turned, but Gibbs placed a hand on her shoulder before she could go. "Maybe you should go get checked out yourself, Ziva."

She didn't bother to tell him she already had been checked out, as she knew this was his way of letting her go see McGee, and she hurried off, leaving the mass of destruction behind as she headed for Bethesda.

* * *

Ziva arrived at Bethesda amid pure chaos, as more and more injured NCIS personnel flowed in, some of whom Ziva vaguely recognized and others she spoke to on nearly as daily basis. When she poked her head into a room and caught sight of a nurse pulling a sheet over a women from accounting with whom she'd grown to be casual friends, Ziva had to look away, finding herself shaking. She had to see McGee. Now.

A nurse walked past, scanning a patient's files, and Ziva spoke up. "Excuse me, I was wondering if you could give me any information on Agent Timothy McGee?" The nurse looked unsure, so Ziva continued, pulling out her ID. "We are partners, and all I know if that he was brought here from the Navy Yard. I just came from there myself." She paused, knowing she was rambling, but unsure of what else to say. "Please. I have to see him."

Ziva thought how her plea must have worked, for the nurse motioned for her to follow her down the hall. But it wasn't as though she said those things simply to get her way – McGee was more than just a co-worker to her, he was a friend, and one of her closest. If she lost him. . .

"Miss?"

Ziva looked up and found the nurse giving her a sympathetic smile. She then pointed into an exam room, where Ziva saw another nurse removing something from McGee's left side. She watched wide-eyed for a moment, then turned back to the nurse to thank her, but she was gone. Ziva turned back to watch McGee then, before taking the in she was given and making her presence known, knocking on the door frame before stepping inside.

"I am sorry to interrupt," she said in response to the look on the nurse's face, "but. . . ."

"Ziva?" McGee interrupted, and the nurse's expression softened as she realized they knew each other and Ziva wasn't just looking for assistance.

Ziva circled around the exam table to stand in front of McGee, smiling at him. "I overheard that you were brought here and I had to come see for myself how you were. What happened? Gibbs only said it was not serious."

"I don't really know how it happened. I thought I was fine, I was up walking around, and Gibbs found me and then I started to feel really hot, and that's when Gibbs realized there was a piece of glass. . . ."

"Hey, shh, no more, okay?" Ziva ordered softly, stepping closer to him and resting her hands on his shoulders while looking into his eyes. "You have been through a trauma, and you do not need to get yourself all worked up."

He stared back at her for a few moments before saying, "You're upset."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Of course I am upset, McGee. You know as well as I do what happened that caused us both to be here in this hospital right now."

"No, not about that," he elaborated, shaking his head. "You're upset I got hurt?" He said the words as though he didn't believe them himself, though he was able to read her well enough to know that's what was going on.

Ziva didn't say anything for long enough that the nurse stepped between them, announcing, "I'm just going to finish up here and I'll leave you two to finish your conversation alone."

Ziva nodded and stepped back to give her more room, thinking about what she would say to McGee. But then she realized there was only one thing she _could _tell him – the truth.

The nurse finished bandaging McGee's side and left him with a few instructions, then left the room with only a cursory glance back at Ziva.

Ziva looked back to McGee, who was reading over the paper the nurse had given him, and stepped forward, waiting to see if he would look up at her. He finished reading his instructions, thorough as ever, and lifted his head slowly to meet Ziva's gaze.

"You're right," she said, her voice low. "I was – _am _– very upset you got hurt. Nobody should have been hurt or died today except for Dearing. But I never imagined you would be one of the injured, Tim."

He looked away from her then, mumbling, "Yeah, I'm sure you were more worried about Tony."

Ziva let out a frustrated breath and gently took his chin in her hand, turning his head back to look her in the eye. "I never imagined you to be injured because I would not allow myself to think such a thing. I cannot actually think about the future without you being a part of it." She felt the tears building up and knew she wouldn't have long before they fell, so she quickly continued before she lost the ability to speak. "Of course I worried about Tony, too, just as I did Gibbs and Abby and the Director, everyone, but I wish you could see your value, how important you are to me."

He held her gaze, taking the time to hear what she wasn't saying, read the words written in her eyes, before he finally said, "You really mean that, don't you?"

That was all it took for Ziva to lose her fight with her tears and they ran down her face unchecked as she smiled at him, nodding. "You have no idea how much I rely on you. You truly are not just another partner, and I am very, very lucky to have you in my life. It is high time you realized that, Timothy McGee."

He smiled back at her, then said, "So you'll drive me back to the Navy Yard?" Ziva's expression turned confused at his words and he laughed, holding up the paper the nurse had given him. "This says I'm free to go, as long as I have supervision. And since you're here. . . ." Ziva narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed again, then held out his hands. "Help a guy up? I'm wounded and everything." He finished his statement with a pout just in a case and Ziva rolled her eyes, taking his hands and pulling him to his feet.

"I suppose you want help putting your shirt. . . ." Her words faded into nothingness as McGee's arms wrapped around her, expressing his gratitude. Ziva closed her eyes, moving her hands up to rest against his bare back, and fought against more tears, instead settling into the warmth she felt in his embrace.

They stood that way for a few minutes, the only words passing between them McGee's barely audible, "Thank you."

When they finally separated, Ziva looked up at McGee, her eyes shining, and he wiped a stray tear from her cheek, leaving him laughing. "Hey, I should be the one crying," he said. "I'm the one who got impaled with a shard of glass."

Ziva shook her head, grinning. "I am sure they gave you some medication to keep you very happy."

He shrugged. "I don't need medication to keep me happy. I've got you."

Now it was Ziva's turn to act bashful, as she turned her eyes to the floor, while McGee reached for his shirt. He slipped it on, grimacing at the action, and Ziva frowned, but stepped closer to him, buttoning the shirt without a word from him. When she finished, she rested a hand on his chest, then said, "Come on, let's get out of here."

He nodded and they turned to exit the room, McGee's hand on the small of Ziva's back as they went.

**THE END**


End file.
